Santorini rattled by another sword of earthquake on Tuesday when thousands evacuated

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File: A video shared from Greece shows thick, toxic smoke filling the sky outside Athens on Monday when a deadly fire raged while frightened residents fled for safety.

Another sword of earthquakes shook the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea on Tuesday morning, including the popular tourist destination in Santorini, officially known as Thira.

On Tuesday morning earthquake, two earthquake size included 5.1 earthquakes centered in the Aegean Sea north of Santorini.

Greek officials warn them at Santorini to stay aware in the coming days due to rising seismic activity, which may mean that a strong earthquake is imminent.

Officials of the Greece Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the Fire Department have met daily since the seismic activity first began over the weekend.

While only approx. 20,000 people call the island home, visited more than 3.4 million tourists last year.

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Schools are now closed for Friday, and people on the island are asked to drain swimming pools, avoid large gatherings inside buildings and stay away from abandoned buildings.

A member of Greece Firefighter Service is among tents created on a basketball court for incoming rescue staff in Fira, on the Greek island of Santorini on February 3, 2025.

A member of Greece Firefighter Service is among tents created on a basketball court for incoming rescue staff in Fira, on the Greek island of Santorini on February 3, 2025. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

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Greek news Website Protothema.gr reported people slept in their cars during the seismic outbreak. Fire rescue personnel are brought to the island to respond to the earthquakes.

On Monday, after an evening of shakes, hundreds of people stood up to table ferries to leave the island. On Tuesday, Greek state media reported that more than 6,000 inhabitants had left Santorini.

  • People stand in line to buy ferry tickets to leave the Greek island of Santorini at a travel agency in the city of Fira on February 4, 2025. Fresh overnight shakes shakes Greece’s top tourist island Santorini, says media reports that get people to sleep outdoors and others to Leave by plane or ferry. (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP via Getty Images)
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  • A photo shows views of the old harbor and the city of Fira on the Greek island of Santorini, in the Angan Sea, February 4, 2025. Fresh overnight shakes Greece’s top tourist island Santorini, said media stories that make people sleep outdoors and others to leave plane or ferry. (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP via Getty Images)
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  • Piraeus, Greece – February 4: People fleeing from Santorini Island, leave a ferry in the port of Piraeus as earthquake swollen concerns Greek experts, in Piraeus, Greece, on February 3rd 2025. (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu Via Getty Images)
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  • Tent was created as a precaution on a basketball court near Santorini General Hospital after the intense seismic activity in recent days and fear of a major earthquake or awakening of the island’s volcano on February 3rd 2025. (Photo of stringer / sooc / sooc via AFP) (Photo of Stringer/Sooc/AFP via Getty Images)
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  • Habitors in Santorini gather in the port of Athinios to escape the island after recent seismic activity and fear of a volcanic awakening or a larger earthquake. Santorini, February 3, 2025. (Photo of Stringer / SOOC / SOOC via AFP) (Photo of Stringer / Sooc / AFP via Getty Images)
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  • People are waiting for the quay to embark on a ferry in the harbor on the Greek island of Santorini on February 3, 2025 as they prepare to leave in the wake of recurring earthquakes. Fresh night over shaking shaking Greece's top tourist island Santorini, says media reports, causing people to sleep outdoors and others to leave flights or ferry. (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP)

    People are waiting for the quay to embark on a ferry in the harbor on the Greek island of Santorini on February 3, 2025 as they prepare to leave in the wake of recurring earthquakes. Fresh night over shaking shaking Greece’s top tourist island Santorini, says media reports, causing people to sleep outdoors and others to leave flights or ferry. (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Civil protection warned against living near the ports, including Ammoudi, Armeni, Korfou and the old port in Fira.

Officials said that if strong seismic shakes are discovered, coastal areas could be evacuated.

The US Embassy in Greece warns US travelers to avoid the areas of concern identified by the Greek government.

Earthquake swarms continue to intensify

According to the Civil Protection Advisory, more than 200 earthquakes were measured over the weekend in the Anydros area between Thira and Amorgos.

On Monday, shaking continued with earthquakes discovered near Amorgos and Fira, the capital Santorini. Earthquake line intensity increased, with the strongest earthquake reaching over size 5.

Falling cliffs from landslides caused by earthquake shakes rapidly up clouds of dust along the rocky rocky surface of the Greek island of Santorini on February 3rd 2025. Fresh overnight shakes shakes Greece's top tourist island Santorini, said media reports, causing people to sleep outdoors and others that leave by plane or ferry.

Falling cliffs from landslides caused by earthquake rooms quickly up clouds of dust along the rocky rocky surface of the Greek island of Santorini on February 3rd 2025. Fresh overnight shakes shakes Greece’s top tourist island Santorini, says media reports, causing people to sleep outdoors and others that leave by plane or ferry. (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo of ARIS MESSINIS / AFP via Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Santorini was shaped by a volcanic outbreak more than 3,500 years ago. The volcano remains active, but has not erupted since 1950.

However, experts warn that the swarm of the earthquake is not bound to volcanic activity.

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Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos said that the seismic activity is definitely tectonic and not volcanic.

Papadopoulos wrote Monday The new stronger earthquake confirmed “that we are in an intense pre-seismic sequence,” added that these events can last up to four months.

“I will not be tempted to say the size of an expected main earthquake,” he said.

According to US Geological SurveyThe Mediterranean is seismically active due to the convergence of the African plate and the Eurasian plate. The highest rates of seismic activity are found in southern Greece, western Turkey and southern Italy.